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Attending Night School: Leadership lessons at the Jack Reacher Academy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 May 2019

Ralph Bathurst Open the ORCID record for Ralph Bathurst [Opens in a new window]  and
Andrew Chrystall
Ralph Bathurst*
Affiliation:
School of Management, Massey University, Private Bag 102904, North Shore, MSC, Auckland 0745, New Zealand
Andrew Chrystall
Affiliation:
School of Journalism Communication and Marketing, Massey University, Private Bag 102904, North Shore, MSC, Auckland 0745, New Zealand
*
*Corresponding author. Email: R.Bathurst@massey.ac.nz
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Abstract

Night School is the 21st novel by Lee Child featuring the action hero Jack Reacher. As the title suggests, the novel performs a didactic function via an organizational comedy. By invoking James Joyce's Ulysses and his use of double plots, we focus our attention on Reacher as a model leader who occupies a middle space between extremes. He rejects type-set mechanistic responses to problems and navigates around the confusion raised through information overload. Reacher's leadership is enacted on the ground and in the moment, taking each new encounter as an opportunity to learn. His style, marked by a healthy distrust of authority and documents, an ability to follow the spirit of the law and staying flexible are all characteristic of a man who is continually aware of his environment, and not side-tracked by metaphysical constructs. The novel's denouement presents an assessment of both Reacher's and our learning.

Keywords

comedyleadershipeducationmilitarynovel
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 25 , Special Issue 3: ‘Take your Lead’: In Search of Very Short, Fairly Interesting, and Reasonably Impactful Contributions to the Future of Leadership Studies , May 2019 , pp. 430 - 444
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2019 

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